Determinants of health and combating disadvantage

The potential scope of work for Medicare Locals in combating disadvantage is huge.The National Centre for Socail and Economic Modelling estimates that the savings from closing the gap in chronic disease management – if the most disadvantaged received the same care as the advantaged – would save $8 billion yearly.

Prof Helen Keleher urges us to seek out the hotspots of poor health? Why? What can be changed? What capacity have we to act?

Prof Jan De Maeseneer quotes the Marmot review which advocates ‘proportionate universalism’ to reduce health inequality . Sometimes we need to make a community diagnosis, rather than an Individual diagnosis

Eg obese child -> build more playgrounds.

We need new training for health care providers – as well as experts and professionals they need to be change agents and leaders.

Communication in Health

Communicating the story is one of the key issues for Medicare Locals.

Prof Clare Jackson reminds us that unless you’ve seen something 4-7 times of haven’t seen it.

Melissa Sweet (through a dreadful croaky voice) encourages us to embrace new media, and create an online healthwatch for communities. – turning health data into stories that matter.

And Hunter shared a fantastic example of using modern media for improving patient self management in their YouTube video Understanding Pain

Role of General Practice and the Medical Home

Where does the accountability stop for GPs? They are responsible when the patient is standing in front of them – and also when they aren’t.

I wish I had come up with that line. He told us that it is a brave man who will redesign the kitchen without consulting the main person that uses it! And he warned us that If we imagine the future based solely on the evidence then we are destined to live in the past.

Hal Wolf from Kaiser told us that integrated care has been around for a long time in the US – for pets.